A survey carried out by RSM among private equity specialists has revealed that two thirds are planning to vote to remain in the EU when British voters take to the polling booths on June 23, with only a fifth saying they would be voting to leave.

The survey, carried out among around 100 industry professionals within the private equity sector, found that around three-quarters (74 per cent) of the respondents said they believed that leaving the EU could result in conditions for private equity deals declining for up to two years, with nearly a quarter (23 per cent) saying this could last for longer than five years.

Nearly half of those who took part in the survey (47 per cent) said that free trade agreements with EU countries were most likely to influence the way they voted, with nearly 15 per cent saying red tape and regulatory issues would be the deciding factor.

“This survey shows that the concern among the UK’s private equity community is real. The impact of Britain remaining or leaving the EU will surely reach beyond its shores and the UK’s economy. As one of the most important trading partners for our country, the RSM team in Malta is following developments in the UK very closely.

“We will continue to provide timely and insightful advice to our client base to enable our clients in the proper management of this uncertainty, as well as the potential fall-out in the event of a ‘Leave’ result,” said Maria Micallef, managing partner at RSM in Malta.

RSM is the sixth largest network of independent audit, tax and consulting firms, encompassing over 120 countries, 760 offices and more than 38,300 people internationally. The network’s total fee income is $4.6 billion. RSM is the sixth largest provider of tax services and audit and accounting services worldwide.